Some health conditions can also lead to abnormal cholesterol, including:

Diabetes

Kidney disease

Polycystic ovary syndrome

Pregnancy and other conditions that increase levels of female hormones

Underactive thyroid gland

Medicines such as certain birth control pills, diuretics (water pills), beta-blockers, and some medicines used to treat depression may also raise cholesterol levels. Several disorders that are passed down through families lead to abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They include:

Familial combined hyperlipidemia

Familial dysbetalipoproteinemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypertriglyceridemia

Smoking does not cause higher cholesterol levels, but it can reduce your HDL (good) cholesterol.

Exams and Tests

A cholesterol test is done to diagnose a lipid disorder. Different experts recommend different starting ages.

Recommended starting ages are between 20 to 35 for men and 20 to 45 for women.

Adults with normal cholesterol levels do not need to have the test repeated for 5 years.

Adults with a history of elevated cholesterol, diabetes, kidney problems, heart disease, and other conditions require more frequent testing.

It is important to work with your health care provider to set your cholesterol goals. Newer guidelines steer doctors away from targeting specific levels of cholesterol. Instead, it recommends different medicines and doses depending on a person's history and risk factor profile.

General targets are:

LDL: 70 to 130 mg/dL (lower numbers are better)

HDL: More than 50 mg/dL (high numbers are better)

Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL (lower numbers are better)

Triglycerides: 10 to 150 mg/dL (lower numbers are better)

If your cholesterol results are abnormal, you may also have other tests such as:

Blood sugar (glucose) test to look for diabetes

Kidney function tests

Thyroid function tests to look for an underactive thyroid gland

Treatment

Steps you can take to improve their cholesterol levels, and help prevent heart disease and a heart attack include:

Quit smoking. This is the single biggest change you can make to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Eat foods that are naturally low in fat. These include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Use low-fat toppings, sauces, and dressings.

Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat.

Exercise regularly.

Lose weight if you are overweight.

Your provider may want you to take medicine for your cholesterol if lifestyle changes do not work. This will depend on:

Your age

Whether or not you have heart disease, diabetes, or other blood flow problems

If you are at risk for heart disease (even if you do not yet have any heart problems)

Almost everyone else may get health benefits from LDL cholesterol that is lower than 160 to 190 mg/dL.

There are several types of drugs to help lower blood cholesterol levels. The drugs work in different ways. Statins are one kind of drug that lowers cholesterol and has been proven to reduce the chance of heart disease.

Outlook (Prognosis)

High cholesterol levels can lead to hardening of the arteries, also called atherosclerosis. This occurs when fat, cholesterol, and other substances build up in the walls of arteries and form hard structures called plaques.

Over time, these plaques can block the arteries and cause heart disease, stroke, and other symptoms or problems throughout the body.

Disorders that are passed down through families often lead to higher cholesterol levels that are harder to control.

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